Sheave-block.



- 'PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

I E. LUDFORD.

SHEAVE BLOCK.

APPLIOATION PILED'MAY 22, 1906.

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ENOCI'I LUDFORD, OF HICKORY, VIRGINIA.

SHEAVE-BLOCK- Patented Feb. 12,1907.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ENooH LUDFoRn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Hick ory, in the county of N orfolk and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sheave-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This inventi'pn relates to an improved sheave-blockd'esigned particularly for use to support cables of a log-haul.

Although the block is, designed for use in log-hauling, yet the block is adapted for any pur oses for whichit maybefound applicable.

he invention aims to provide a selflubri,

eating block in a manner as hereinafter set forth, so that the shaft of the sheave or pulley and its bearingswill be automatically lubricated during the operation of the sheave or pulley, thereby increasing the durability of and overcoming the inconvenience of manually lubricating the said parts.

The invention further aims to construct the block so as to cause the automatic upward feed of the lubricant to the sheave or pulley shaft and its bearings during the op eration-of the sheave or pulley, such construction enabling the discontinuance of the feed of the lubricant when the sheave or pulley is idle.

The invention further aims to provide a block with adjustable bearings for the sheave or ulley shaft, said construction enabling eac of the bearings to be turned or-shifted,

so that in'case of the wearing of a portion of a bearing the other portion thereof can be utilized, thereby preventing the throwing away of the bearing until all the portions thereof have become worn, .and by such construction it is evident that the durability of the bearings is increased.

The invention further aims to provide a self-lubricating sheave or pulley block which shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable, eilicient in its use, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construc-tion, combination, and arrangenuit of parts hereinafter more specifically refei 1 ed to,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; but it is to be understood that changes, Variations, and modifications can be resorted to-which come within the scope of the claiinshereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail refer Referring to the drawin s by reference characters, the sheave-bloc in accordance With this invention comprises two side plates or cheeks 1 2, formed of suitable metallic material, and each of which is formed with a pocket 3', having its mouth 4 at the top of the plate and closed by a stopper 5.

The outer wall of the pocket 3, which is indicated by the reference character 6, is connected to the body of the plate by a circular wall 7, positioned at a point removed from the lower end of the pocket, so that the pocket 3 will extend around said circular wall. The circular wall 7 forms an opening which is a continuation of an opening 8, formed in the body of the plate, and the wall of said opening 8, as well asthe wall '7, is provided with screw-threads. The 'pocket 3 constitutes a lubricant-reservoir, and the outlet thereof is formed by a port 9 in the lower portion of the circular wall 7, so that the discharge of the lubricant from the reservoir will be had in'an upward direction when the shaft of the pulley, to be hereinafter referred to, is rotated.

When the plates 1 2 are set up in operative position, they are spaced apart at their bottoms through the medium of the spacing member 11, formed integral with the inner of said members 14 15 is cut away to permit of connecting the shackle 1.6 to the sheaveblock. The plates 1 2, as well as the spacing members 14 15, are provided with openings through which extend the holdfast devices 18 At the upper end of the plates 1 2.

for-securing the upper ends of the plates together.

1 Itngagmg the screw-threads of the wall 7 and opening 8 in each of the side plates is a hollow cylindrical screw threaded bearing one of the ports 21 is adapted to register with the port 9 through the wall 7 so that the lubricant will be fed through the said ports 9 and 21 from the reserved-into the interior of the hearing. The sheave or pulley (in.di-

cated by the reference character 22) is positinned between the side lates and carried by a shaft 23, which exten s in the bearings 19.

When the sheave or pulleyisoperated, the action of the shaft 23 will tend to draw the lubricant from the reservoir through the ports 9 and 21, and consequently the ends of the shaft 23 will be lubricated. -When the sheave or pulley is at rest, the end of the shaf t 23 will close that port 21 which registers with the port 9, and consequently discon tinues the feed of the lubricant. Therefore it is evident from such construction that when the pulley is operated the lubricant will be automatically fed .to lubricate the shaft 23 and that when the sheave or pulley isat rest the shaft 23 will automatically discontinue the feed of the lubricant.

The providing of each of the bearings 19 with a plurality of diametrically-arranged ports 21 is to enable the feed of the lubricant when the bearin s are adjusted, and in this connection it wil be stated that if the lower portion of one of the bearing-s19 becomes worn and the said bearing is turned or shifted the other port 21 will be brought into register with the port 9 to enable the lubricant to be fed in a manner as stated. The squared head 20 of the bearing enables the bearing to be adjusted by the use of asuitable tool or wrench.

. In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the sheave-block is of the same construction as that referred to in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that each of the bearings for the shaft 23 has a squared periphery. Consequently the outer wall of'the pocket 3 is connected with the body of the plate by a square wall instead of'acircular Wall, as shown.

in Figs. 3 and 4 the reference character 24 denotes the bearings, each having a square periphery and closed at its outer end, as at 25, and having its inner end provided with a square flange 26, which is adapted to be seated in the countersunk portion 27, formed on the inner face of the side plate. The side plate is formed with a St uare opening 28, which is a continuation of the opening forir ed by the square wall 29, the latter -ponnecting the outer wall 80 of the pocket with the body portion'of the plate. The bearing is formed with a cylindrical opening to receive the end of the shaft 23. The bearing is furthermore provided with a port- 31, which registeiswith Otherwise than that as stated, the construe tion shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is the saineas that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the same reference characters being applied thereto. f

Having thus fully ,described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sheave-block comprising a pairol side plates each formed with a pocket, the outer wall of the pocket being connected with the body portion ofihe plate by an inner wall at a point removed from the end of the pocket so asito cause the pocket to surround said inner wall, said inner wall having a port in its lower portion, a bearing mounted in each of the plates" and surrounded by said inner wall, and each of said bearings having a port adapted to register with the port in the inner wall.

2. A sheave-block coniprising a pair of side plates each provided with a pocket, the outer wall of said pocket connected with. the bodyportion of the plate by an inner wall, said inner wall having its lower portion provided with a port, an adjustable Hearing mounted in each of said plates and surrounded by said inner wall, each. of said adjustable bearings provided with a plurality of ports, one of which is adapted to register with the port in said inner wall.

3. A sheave block comprising a pair of side plates, each provided with a lubricant-reservoir, each. of said reservoirs provided with an. outlet for discharging the lubricant in an u ward direction, and a bearing mounted in each of said plates and provided with a port adapted to register with the outlet of the reservoir. a

1. A sheave-block comprising a pair of side plates, each provided with a lubricant-reservoir, each of said. res'ervoirs provided with an outlet for discharging the lubricant an upward direction, and an adjustable bear ing mourn ed in each of said plates and provided with a plurality of orts, one of which is ad aptcd to register with the outlet of the reservoiri 5. The combination with a pulley-shaft,of

a pair of members, each provided with a lubricant-reservoir, each of said reservoirs provided with an outlet for discharging the lubricant in an upward direction, a bearing for each end of said shaft, said bearings mounted in said members and provided with ports adapted to register with the outlets of the reservoirs, said shaft adapted to close said ports when-stationary.

6. The con'ilrination with a shaft and its pulley, of a sheave-block therefor, said block provided with me ans for automatically feeding a lubricant in an upward direction duringthe operation of said pulley, thereby lubricating said shaft, said shaft adapted to discontinue the port 32, formed in the square wall 29.'

the discharge of said shai't is stationary. V

7. A sheave-block having a pair of ministable bearings for the sheave-shaft, said block I 5. furthermore provided with it lubrieents'eservoir, and'said bearings provided with ports for establishing communication between the interior thereof and the rrservoir.

" 8. A sheave-block provided with a pluralroy-ii'y of lubricant-reservoirs, each having an inner and an outer well, each of said inner Walls having a port for discharging lubricant from said reservoirs in an upward direction, said block furthermore provided, with a plurality of bearings for a' sheave-shaft, each of said bearings provided with a port for estab* ;lishing connriunicaiion between the interior thereof an i said reservoirs, thereby lubricating the shelevishnit lubricant when the said I I inner end an outer well, each of said inner 9. Ashen-v -block provided with a plurlity-of lubricant-reservoirs, each having on walls having a port for discharging the lubricant from said reservoirs in. an upward direction, said block furthermore provided with a plurality of adjustable bearings for a sheaveshajlt, said bearings provided with a' plurality of orts one of which is ada' ted to re ister with the outlet of the reservoirs, thereby es-,

teblishing con'imunication between the reservoirs and the int erior of the bearings for lubi ieating, the shaft.

In testimony whereof I. have hereunto set my hand in presence 01' two subscribing Witnesses.

v ENOCH LUDF ORD.

Witnesses: I

:W. P. JORDAN, J12,

JOHN L. Lnnrom). 

